The Articles of Confederation | Period 3: 1754-1800 | AP US History | Khan Academy

Summary

In this video, Kim and Leah discuss the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States. They explain its creation during the American Revolution and highlight its limited government structure, which lacked executive and judicial branches. While it successfully united the states and helped end the Revolutionary War, its weaknesses became apparent, especially during Shays' Rebellion, when the government couldn't raise taxes or a military. This led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where the founding fathers drafted the stronger, current U.S. Constitution.

Takeaways

• 📜 The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States, created in 1777 during the American Revolution.
• ⚖️ The Articles emphasized limited government, with a very small central government to avoid the abuses of monarchy.
• 🏛️ There was no executive or judicial branch under the Articles, and Congress was the only body representing all 13 states.
• 🗳️ Changing the Articles required unanimous consent from all 13 states, making it difficult to pass amendments or laws.
• ⚔️ The Articles helped the U.S. end the Revolutionary War through the Treaty of Paris in 1783, uniting the 13 colonies under one government.
• 🌍 The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, passed under the Articles, provided guidelines for westward expansion and land management.
• 📉 A key issue with the Articles was that the federal government couldn’t levy taxes, leading to financial difficulties.
• 💸 Shays' Rebellion in 1786 exposed the weaknesses of the Articles, as the government couldn't raise an army or pay soldiers from the war.
• 👥 The rebellion led influential figures like George Washington and James Madison to realize the need for a stronger central government.
• 📝 In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held to replace the Articles with a new Constitution, which provided a more balanced federal system.

Q & A

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States, created in 1777 during the American Revolution, designed to form a government that looked as different from a monarchy as possible.

Why was the federal government under the Articles of Confederation designed to be small?

The federal government was kept small because the framers wanted to avoid any resemblance to the monarchy they were rebelling against. This led to the creation of a very limited central government.

What branches of government were missing under the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation lacked both an executive branch and a judicial branch, leaving Congress as the sole governmental body, which was made up of representatives from all 13 states.

How difficult was it to pass laws or amendments under the Articles of Confederation?

Passing laws required the approval of 9 out of 13 states, and amending the Articles required unanimous consent from all 13 states, making it very difficult to enact changes.

What were some positive accomplishments of the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles helped unite the 13 colonies under one government and successfully passed the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the Revolutionary War. It also passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which established a process for western expansion.

What was the main problem with the Articles of Confederation as the country grew?

As the country grew, the Articles of Confederation proved insufficient for addressing issues related to governance and economic growth, including the lack of centralized power and difficulties in managing growing pains as new territories were added.

What event highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts exposed the weaknesses of the Articles, particularly the federal government's inability to raise taxes, pay debts, or field a national army to suppress the rebellion.

Why couldn't the federal government under the Articles of Confederation pay its debts or maintain a military?

The federal government lacked the power to levy or collect taxes, which left it unable to pay its debts or fund a national military, relying instead on state militias.

Who were some of the founding fathers that pushed for a new constitution?

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison were among the key figures who recognized the need to replace the Articles of Confederation with a stronger central government.

What was the result of Shays' Rebellion and other problems under the Articles of Confederation?

The problems highlighted by Shays' Rebellion led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, where leaders drafted a new constitution to create a stronger federal government, ultimately replacing the Articles of Confederation.